Why is my Button Quail goin bald?!

[Ugly Cowboy]

Howdy! Well, I have a male button quail (Ghost) thats goin bald, he already is completely bald on his head and legs, and startin on his neck and back and such, but he's normal in every other way. Do they do that when lonely? I used to have another one, but he got his leg caught in a cage (a different cage then the one Ghost's in now) and broke it in half (barely hangin on broke) so I had to put him down, so Ghost's been alone for a about 6-7 months now, I caint find no one else around here with buttons or I'da already got him a buddy. So is it stress or is he missin somethin diet wise or...?

 

[Wolf-Kim]

What are you feeding him?

What's the protein level? Is it medicated?

Does he get anything else supplementary? Grit, etc?

Have you checked him for mites or external parasites?

Is he outside or under lights? If under lights, how much light does he get?

-Kim

 

[Ugly Cowboy]

Quote:
Feedin him finch food, for lack of somethin better (all we have is a Tractor Supply, and thats the smallest seed they got, and thats what the folks was feedin him who I got 'em from.)

He doesnt get grit, I caint find none small enuff around here, and I dont know any suppliments to give him (them folks just gave 'em away free about a year ago... they didnt tell me much about 'em.)

I've checked for mites and such, he's clean.

He is in my livin room, under the livin room lights.

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
Feedin him finch food, for lack of somethin better (all we have is a Tractor Supply, and thats the smallest seed they got, and thats what the folks was feedin him who I got 'em from.)

He doesnt get grit, I caint find none small enuff around here, and I dont know any suppliments to give him (them folks just gave 'em away free about a year ago... they didnt tell me much about 'em.)

I've checked for mites and such, he's clean.

He is in my livin room, under the livin room lights.

oh my deary, your lil button sounds like he may be getting malnutritioned he needs a lot more than just birdy (wild bird seed im assuming you're meaning). That has im pretty sure no calcium in it and no protien (i think)...that right thre could be why he's losing feathers his body is having a heck of a time producing the needed stfuf to make them so one by one falling out...

I (and many others) feed their button quail a nonmedicated game bird feed (from tractor supply) along with bird seed, grit, cuddle bone (though males dont need this as much as females do for calcium), and for treats greens, boiled eggs etc.

Even if you start feeding him a better diet now it may be too late, he may never grow back teh feathers if he's been fed this diet for too long of a time.

you can buy grit at walmart in the pet isle (bird isle)

 

[monarc23]

I also give my buttons ground up cat food.

I think it's time this boy got a better diet

 

[Mrs MIA]

Ditto. I wouldn't slam him with 100% protein right off, though, but get some unmedicated game bird feed, or turkey feed, and grind it up 50/50 with the finch seed. Then next time you make up a batch, use just a little finch feed - it's only supposed to be used as a treat for the birds, not their sole source of feed. :aww Poor baby... hopefully it's not too late. Try boiling an egg, and when it's cool crumbling it up and feed it to him. I'm glad you asked about it!

Promise you'll check back and let us know how he does in a couple of weeks!!

 

[Wolf-Kim]

If you cannot find gamebird starter, unmedicated chick starter will work. We feed our quail unmedicated chickstarter from TSC.

I think his diet may be the issue, for lack of other ideas.

-Kim

 

[Ugly Cowboy]

Ok, thanks for the help! Dang, I feel bad not feedin him right, took me forever to even figure out what he was (the folks I got 'em from told me that they were quail finches, and I just couldnt believe that, they didnt look or act like any finches I'd ever seen!) So I spent litterally hours on the net tryin to find out what they were, and I finally figured that out, but I guess I overlooked what to feed 'em.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Let's see if we can't make him better.

Good luck!

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
hey you did a great thing taking him from people that didnt even know what he was atleast you TRIED and FOUND OUT what he was that's what counts. You gave him and the other a home...and you care enough to try and find out what's wrong with him...no worries we all do woopsies every now and then. Hopefully he starts growing them in after a few weeks (tho it may take a loonnng time to grow them back so be pacient).

But yes deff remember you can get tiny grit at walmart (it's callleed....Hartz gravel n grit has a parakeet on it). That's ofcourse not nutrition really just helps the bird grind up it's food in its' crop. ANd you canbuy cuddle bones there too. For grit you can just pour about a table spoon (or less) into a pepsi cap or somethign as simple as that and leave it in his cage to peck at free choice or you can mix it in with his food dialy though you will waste grit that way i've noticed...one box of grit for noe button will last you so long i can't even imagine how long ha ha... cuddle bones are the calcium and for that what i do is either grind it up and let them enjoy it with their food everyday or i clip the whole cuddle bone (it comes with a metal clip thing) to the side of their cage for them to peck at when they want.

I deffiantly reccomend the boild mashed/chopped up eggie (my quials LOOOOOOOVE it..i mean LOVE IT ...they go "hog wild" for it).

I agree with Ak tho start out slow on the protien because it could be too much for his body to handle just getting used to this new source.

Deffiantly keep us updated! And dont be afraid to ask any quesitons!

:aww